


In the garden and in the rain

by Kitsilver



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: After the events of the game, Established Relationship, F/F, Female My Unit | Byleth, Fluff, Post-Time Skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 04:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20790629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsilver/pseuds/Kitsilver
Summary: The rain comes down softly now, a gentle whisper, a hush. Byleth stands in the center of it, eyes closed and arms outstretched, as the rain falls on her upturned face. The water is cool but the air is warm, heavy with the feel of spring, and Byleth smiles to feel the contrast on her skin.She feels so alive.Or:Byleth leaves the infirmary to visit the gardens. Edelgard goes looking for her.





	In the garden and in the rain

The rain comes down softly now, a gentle whisper, a hush. Byleth stands in the center of it, eyes closed and arms outstretched, as the rain falls on her upturned face. The water is cool but the air is warm, heavy with the feel of spring, and Byleth smiles to feel the contrast on her skin.

She feels so _alive._

The beating heart in her chest thumping steadily, what a strange feeling it was! How much more intense was every sensation, from the coolness of the water to the smell of the flowers in the imperial garden. When she opened her eyes, the misty rain seemed to cloak all the green vibrant world in a soft grey. The hush of the rain falling on water, the pitter-patter of it striking the roof nearby.

Had she ever heard the rain this way?

She didn’t think so.

After Rhea died and the stone in her chest had shattered, Byleth had opened her eyes and felt her heart beating for the first time. She had looked up to see Edelgard holding her, tears falling on her face like the rain, only it was salt that Byleth could taste and not this gentle coolness. Byleth had looked up at her, and a feeling she had never known she could feel surged in her chest.

Warmth.

And a feeling so big it could burst from her chest.

She had raised her hand to Edelgard’s cheek. Edelgard, her fierce and mighty Emperor, the one who had overthrown the world for someone else’s sake, the one she had risked her life to protect since that very first day, had gasped. Eyes so wide as she looked down at her. And with a cry of relief and joy, and a sob torn from her heart, hugged her so tightly that Byleth could barely breathe.

Love.

Byleth had never known she could feel so much, until that day.

Every day since, every sensation was stronger, every emotion more intense. Every day that she could wake up and see Edelgard there. That was a good day. She didn’t think she would ever tire of it, or of this, this newfound understanding of what it meant to truly live.

Her musing is interrupted by a familiar, beloved, and…currently irate voice.

“Byleth!”

She turns to see Edelgard standing there, her face disbelieving, while an imperial servant holds an umbrella over her head.

“Oh,” Byleth says, smiling in welcome as water drips from her hair and face. There is that same pounding in her chest again, that same warmth when she looks at Edelgard. “Hello, El.”

The disbelief in Edelgard’s eyes only grows, her mouth dropping open, and she dismisses the servant with a quick command, something along the lines of _fetch some blankets, please_ before Edelgard leaves the safety of the umbrella and comes toward her, grabbing her arm firmly and walking her up the steps to the gazebo.

“Really, what were you thinking?” Edelgard asks, using her cloak to wipe down Byleth’s wet hair and face. Byleth shivers, feeling the chill for the first time, and Edelgard’s hands tighten before wiping her dry more forcefully than before. When she is done, and Byleth is more damp than dripping wet, Edelgard gathers the dry part of the cloak around them both. They sit side by the side on the bench, pressed against one another, sharing their warmth.

Edelgard takes Byleth’s face in her hands, and in her eyes Byleth can see her worry. “Please don’t just stand in the rain. What were you doing out here, anyway?”

“I just wanted to feel it,” Byleth says. “It felt so…” she searches for words, but Edelgard seems to understand. She caresses Byleth’s cheek gently and Byleth leans into that soft touch.

“Everything still feels so intense, doesn’t it?” Edelgard whispers. Byleth nods. “Ever since that day…” Edelgard’s eyes close briefly, wincing as if in pain. Byleth leans close, brings a hand up to Edelgard’s cheek and rests her forehead against hers.

“I’m right here, El.”

Edelgard nods once, opening her eyes, and still there is worry and pain there that Byleth wishes she could take away. But she is smiling faintly. “Ever since that day, you have been different. You never used to be so amazed by such simple things before.”

“It never felt this way before,” Byleth says with a shrug. “I think that I’ll have to get used to it, eventually. But this…” she takes Edelgard’s hand and puts it on her chest, over the beating heart that beats ever faster when Edelgard is near. Edelgard takes a quick indrawn breath. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” Byleth says, smiling as she leans toward her. “At least, I don’t want to.”

When they kiss, Byleth tastes the rain, and the barest hint of the sweet, lemony flavor of her tea.

Edelgard’s eyes open slowly when they part, her eyes soft and shining, and she huffs out a breathless laugh before curling into Byleth once more. “I don’t want to get used to this either,” Edelgard says softly. Byleth tightens her arms around her, presses a kiss to her forehead.

They sit in silence for a few minutes, just watching the rain fall, neither emperor nor professor just…Edelgard and Byleth.

“Manuela was worried about you, you know,” Edelgard says. “When you left the infirmary without saying a word.”

Byleth plays idly with her hair, rubbing her head just so. Edelgard shivers, leaning into her touch. “I’ll have to apologize when I see her. I really do feel better.”

Edelgard’s hand tightens over her chest. “Please make sure you do. I could not bear it if…”

Byleth covers her hand with hers, tilts her chin up so she can look at violet eyes still full of worry. “I really am all right, I promise.” She kisses her again, longer this time, kisses her until Edelgard is laughing softly and pulling away with a smile.

“I was going to say, I could not bear it if I had to tell everyone you had survived a dragon, but were felled by a cold.” She arches a brow. “Please just take a jacket with you next time, or better yet, stay beneath a roof of some kind.”

“I will try,” Byleth says, indulging her. “How did you know to come looking for me? Weren’t you in a meeting today with your ministers?”

A slight blush heats Edelgard’s cheeks. “I was,” she says. “But Manuela burst into the room, worried that you weren’t where you were supposed to be, and asked me for help finding you.” She shifts uncomfortably. “So I… left.” She sighs. “I really should return. Ferdinand will be waiting for me.”

“I should apologize to Ferdinand then,” Byleth says, but she makes no move to get up and only wraps her arms more tightly around Edelgard.

“You should come with me,” Edelgard says, looking up at her with a smile. “You should hear his proposal for free schooling all across Fodlan that seeks to recruit the best students regardless of wealth or station. It is a promising proposal, but I’m not sure how practical it will be.”

“It sounds like a good start to building the world that you dreamed of.” Byleth says thoughtfully. Then she looks at Edelgard, her smile shining bright. “I can’t wait to see this world that you will create.” 

“The world that _we _will create, my love.” Edelgard says, pressing herself to Byleth once more. “I cannot do this without you. Please,” she whispers, “promise me that I will never have to.”

Byleth holds her close. “You will never have to,” she says softly. “We will walk this path together, no matter what comes. I promise.”

When they kiss, it feels like the start of forever. Tastes like _always._

Every beat of her heart saying, _I am yours. _

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s notes: This is the fluffiest thing I have ever written. I hope you liked it, because it was a joy to write. Thank you for reading.


End file.
